Why do workers such as R-Truth, Kofi Kingston, Dolph Ziggler and others remain loyal to WWE when the company continues to misuse them?

We can sit here all day and make a case for misused talent, however, that doesn't change that not everyone can work in the top of the card. If a worker is unhappy with the way they are being used in WWE, what other choice do they have? Back in the 90s, WCW was an option and TNA was an option at one point but that's no longer the case. The workers you mentioned are at least actively booked on live events and TV tapings, meaning not only do they collect their downside but they also receive show bonuses. Think about the workers sporadically used that do not have that luxury. The pro wrestling business is unlike any other in that it's not objective, meaning the best workers aren't always the ones in the best spots. However, I'll also remind you there can only be a handful of people working in the top of the card at one time.

Why is the WWE Network not available outside of the United States? It doesn't seem to make any kind of sense, as technically speaking, there should be no reason why they can't just make it available. They aren't dealing with programming rights or carriage like a regular network, so what gives?

I do not have a definitive answer to explain the delayed launch of the WWE Network in international markets. Even Canada has to wait and it likely has to do with current television distribution agreements along with WWE wanting to stabilize the domestic side first. The plan is still for WWE Network to launch in phase one countries (United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong and the Nordics) by the end of 2014/early 2015.

With WWE's new domestic television agreement, do you know if the online window has changed regarding Raw and Smackdown replays appearing on the WWE Network any earlier?

Encore showings of Raw and Smackdown are still available 30 days after their initial airing on the WWE Network. I know there were details still being worked out before the new domestic TV deal with NBCUniversal was signed, however, I do not anticipate a change. Should a change happen, we'll be sure and note it.

Who would you put the WWE World Heavyweight Championship on?

If WWE decides to strip Daniel Bryan of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and crown an interim champion, it has to be a heel. I do not think it's a foregone conclusion that Bryan has to be stripped of the belt, however, if he's going to be out for an extended period of time, it would be the right thing to do. The company has stalled a decision until a firm timeline for Bryan's return is established. Some have speculated a swerve at Payback where Bryan proves he is able to work. I cannot confirm such plans and quite frankly, do not think Bryan should rush back. Whatever direction WWE decides to go in at the pay-per-view on Sunday, it will be storyline-heavy by the "too powerful" Authority.

With Roman Reigns set to breakout as a singles star, do you see another big man been added to The Shield with Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins?

When WWE decides to breakup The Shield, they should break them up. The idea of prolonging a faction by creating version 2.0 (like WWE did with The Nexus, among others) rarely works out. All three members of The Shield are capable of having success in singles competition. Will they all three work in the top of the card immediately? That's a question that only time will tell, however, as we've already talked about, there are a very limited number of spots in the top of the card. While I do not like how the indecision over what to do with The Shield has trickled over onto television, it was the right move to turn them and will only help when they split.

From the Ask WNW vault…

November 2011: What are the chances AJ Styles ever leaves TNA Impact Wrestling for WWE? - This is a common question I see readers asking from time to time and while it’s certainly possible AJ Styles could leave TNA for WWE, how much success do you think he would have? While I know Vince McMahon and Triple H will point to workers such as Rey Mysterio, CM Punk, Christian, etc. and say they push workers of all different sizes, it’s a fact they don’t push talent based on in-ring skills. Daniel Bryan, who I consider the second best in-ring worker in the world (Kurt Angle at number one), has struggled to find a main event role. Watching Daniel Bryan on WWE TV is like playing with a yo-yo, he’s up then he’s down. There has been very little consistency. I have a hard time believing things for AJ Styles would be much different.

Remember questions that are legible stand the best chance of getting answered. Check out the Ask WNW archive at this link.

The next installment of Ask WNW is scheduled to run on Friday, May 30, 2014.

You can submit a question for the next installment of Ask WNW at this link. If you have problems with the form, you can send your question to [email protected].

Impact Wrestling Preview - Can Anyone Stop ...

Next Story

What Unifying WWE & World Titles Has ...

JAE

Should Bryan hand over the championship, which heel would be most deserving of the title at the moment?

kurt

Its not even a question of who is most deserving, but who woukd get the most legit “heat” from being put there. Legit hear comes from fans genuinely being ticked off at the injustice a heel gives out , or preferential treatment that they feel it deserved. Like they did when batista came.back and called Randy Orton a protected paper champion. So I would say it would be someone that DOESNT deserve it (yet) would irritate the fans the most. The problem as I see it is many heel at the top are either stale at best or the fans have already rejected as people they would give legit heat. I think a major issue is creative. I think they are too over worked and burnt out to affectively handle the storyline issues that have come out of bryans surgery. They don’t plan out long term, intricate story lines that play out over months anymore. They are reactive. Write on the fly. McMahon changes his mind faster than mitt romney seeing a roll of hundreds in his face. I hope for a good story coming out of his injury but not holding my breath.

Guest

Batista is the best choice.

Venom

While I understand the whole “not everyone can work at the top of the card” at the same time fans want to see a fresh top of the card. My favorite was Smackdown sometime between 2005-2008 when not everyone worked the show every week. It’s like the alternated weeks with wrestlers while the mid/low careers like Edgeheads, Carlito/Primo, Miz/Morrison and others worked every week and improve. Sometimes an upper mid card would main event Smackdown and it made it a fun wrestling show.

Lance Fyrehart

I think when the Shield breaks up it needs to end in a 3 way feud. They could put on an awesome match.

jason witten 82

agreed however i think it might be better to keep rollins and ambrose as a tag team for awhile after reigns breaks out. i dont know if creative can or would properly push all three as new singles stars at once. what do you think about that

K!NG

how come anyone who is not given a main event spot is labeled misused? Kofi kingston had matches at the top of the card with Randy Orton. R-truth worked at the top of the card with john cena the miz and the rock. Ziggler worked at the top of card with Cena as well plus orton put him over at SS. Please tell me how any of these guys were misused. Some cases i can see but each of the 3 guys named has done something to put them selfs in the spot they. Rtruth failed a wellness test. Kofi is labeled unsafe and Ziggy cant keep his mouth shut to save his life. I am a fan of all 3 guys and there is nothing wrong with being a mid card talent. .

Jbreed

But Randy Orotn, with all his wellness strikes and attitude problems, deserves to be in the spot he’s been in his whole career?

K!NG

Well look at HBK he was no different back in the day or how about jeff hardy for that matter did he deserve his spot? and if u want to talk about wellness violation and bad attitude dolph ziggler has both of them on his resume. just saying everyone likes to single orton out but there are plenty of others that have been worse then him in the past. From what i can see Orton seems to be a changed guy but only time will tell.

Jbreed

I didn’t mean to just single out Randy Orton, He’s just one example of guys who can away with anything while other guys don’t.

K!NG

Its like that in every sport. Look at the Ray rice situation if He was a back up player they prlly would have cut him for getting arrested. However he is a high paid starting RB for them they cant just cut him demote him when they are paying him that much money. Same goes in WWE and from what i have read Orton has a FAT contract.

Sam Kinison the 69th

It’s about whoever pulls in the most money, it’s got nothing to do with “deserves”. WWE took a risk on “deserves” buy putting the titles on Daniel Bryan – and then the stock price plummets.

MadDawg

Kofi being labeled unsafe is one of the most unfair things that has ever happened in this business. Kofi was flat out buried by Randy Orton, and there’s nothing OK about that. I’ve always been a big fan of Orton’s work, but when he buried Kingston in the middle of the biggest push of his career, I lost all respect for him.

Things happen

The case with R-Truth is that Evan Bourne ratted him out that why he fail the wellness test if it wasn’t for him then R-Truth wouldn’t been in the place he is in today he will still have some main event time

rschell21

If Bryan is stripped and they find a new champion I can’t help but keep thinking about how Paul heyman mentioned Monday night that his client beat the streak and he hasn’t said that in a while plus he hasn’t a championship run in his contract

Cubed56

There will be no Shield 2.0. The only way that happens is if they reunite down the road after they split. I’m hoping its a mutual split and they agree to always have each other’s instead of the usual played out splits of factions and tag teams we always get. Sure they can have their paths cross eventually in singles competition, but hopefully it’s natural and not forced from some kind of turn. I’ve got a question into Richard right now that may clear up the immediate future of the Shield, but I’m gonna wait too see if he answers, otherwise I’ll share it with all of you next week.

Winnipeg

Ooooh the anticipation is killing me

Cubed56

Ha, i hope not too much. I hope youve got a hobby other then trying to belittle people on here, I would also hope your able to go along with your normal everyday life and not let this hinder that.

Guest

Nobodys belittling you bro. It was just a little joke. Calm down!

Cubed56

Lol, I know, I was joking with my response. When i re-read it, I can see why someone would think I was serious. I aplogize to Winnipeg if he thought i was being serious, no hard feelings, its all in good fun.

Winnipeg

I kid bro, I’m never really serious no hard feelings haha

realityera2k14

is it about the wwe magazine article with dean?…

Cubed56

Yes sir, it’s very telling in a way isn’t it?

live1213

Yes, they remain loyal money will do that unless u cm punk. And when it’s all said and done i’ll go back to ROH him and Austin both. (until TNA hire better and neutral writers)

Winnipeg

One faction they should never break up is the Wyetts. I couldn’t see them broken up and having a successful run.

Stephen Cash

They will and Bray will be fine

Winnipeg

Oh yeah, Bray will b fine but I doubt Eric and Luke will have fare runs.

FactionZer0

Brodie Lee. Nuff said.

Stephen Cash

I see Bryan being stripped and then Batista and Orton getting excited that they are going to be given the belt(s), and then HHH says, “I’m sorry, you guys never proved to me you could be champion.” Then he says “Ladies and gentlemen your NEWWW WWE World Heavyweight Champion…” Lesnar’s music hits. Preferably Cena’s music would hit and he would turn heel.

Big Boss Man’s Breakfast

I hope Kane gets it, he deserves a run at the top and he has been booked well recently. Better than that corporate Kane wimp

monty

richard all 3 members of shield are no doubt great singles wrestlers too but do we really want WWE to break the shield because all 3 will be lost in the shuffle. You mentioned it, how many spots do wwe really have at the top? so sooner or later all 3 will be stuck in mid card and than we will complain

its time for 2 championships, smackdown should get the WHC and Raw the WWE title. Atleast this way we can have 2 wrestlers competing at top of the card for titles

also they should asign the US title to smackdown and IC to raw, vince is becoming jerry jones/al david, now all he cares sbaout is the top 2 matches rest are just fillers. How about having actual stories for mid carders like we use to back in the day

Jbreed

Strangely enough ever since the belts got unified it seems like the main event scene is deeper now (Daniel Bryan, Batista, Orton, John Cena, The Shield, Bray Wyatt) than when there were 2 world titles (John Cena, Randy Orton, ADR, CM Punk).

Bob’s Diner

How so?

Cubed56

I actually agree with him. Just because theres not two separate titles, their is actually more people in main event angles. The feud between The Shield/Evolution, Wyatt/Cena, and DB and the Authority all have a main event feel to them. Also if they finally play it right with the tag belts, the Usos/Harper and Rowan feud could have the same feel. Right there alone there is about 12 people involved in main event angles, and if you include, Harper and Rowan for their association with Bray, and Usos with Cena, and Brie with DB there is closer to 18 people involved in main event angles compared to the 4-6 we were getting with two belts.

Bob’s Diner

I agree as well. I can’t stand someone saying they disagree but don’t back it up with anything. Just says “disagree” – he should explain why, because Jbreed, as usual, gave very valid points

jason witten 82

sorry i didnt explain, my point was with two titles you get more shots for guys like dolph and sheamus. i feel more like cena stepped down to the upper mid card to work with the wyatts more then the wyatts main eventing with cena, and now so many world title contenders just kinda floating around. just my opinion

Bob’s Diner

No need to apologise, I totally understand some people prefer the idea of two titles

Bob’s Diner

You realise almost all the matches at WrestleMania actually had stories? I’m not saying they were built well, but there were reasons to them – which is better than about 80% of the other WrestleManias.

There is no brand split anymore. I don’t get how people can’t accept that. For years people wanted it gone and the titles unified. Now people want a brand split and separate champions again

jason witten 82

your right, fans usually want the opposite of what they are actually getting, however, speaking for myself, i never wanted the brand split, infact i wish they would have enforced the split more during the last year or so of it. i felt the shows were better with different identities and gave more guys tv time, i just didnt like how imbalanced the star power was between raw and sd

David Jr.

I would like to see at Payback, Daniel Bryan say I’ll return the WWE Championship but I’m keeping the World Heavyweight Championship and when I come back who ever has the WWE Championship, will face me to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Then have a tournament to crown a new WWE Champion. Say Cesaro or Bray Wyatt wins. Then when Daniel Bryan comes back you can have World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan vs. WWE Champion Cesaro or Bray Wyatt.

Stephen Heim

I don’t understand the obsession of people thinking Bray Wyatt deserves a title shot. He is a LONG way from even coming close to a title shot. He might have good mic skills, but he is just an average worker in the ring and has yet to win a singles match without help. To me, that will determine where he goes as far as the title scenario is concerned.

MadDawg

He wins tonight without help.

BIG M

I honestly don’t get all this hype about Roman Reigns In my eyes he is still a mid card level worker compared to Ambrose and Rollins.
Don’t get me wrong he has potential, improved is in ring work greatly the last few months and comes from the great Anoa’i/Fatu/Maivia Family but if I were to rank him against the other members of the Shield he is still a distant third.
Even if WWE keep booking HIM as the only reason Shield wins Matches which really craps on the talent and hard work of Ambrose and Rollins (who’ve been carrying Reigns this whole time) I just don’t think he’s ready for this huge push VKM and Triple H reportedly have lined up for him soon.

Nathen

Agreed. Reigns has a lot going for him but shouldn’t get the big push until he reaches his potential. He really only gets reactions from big moves, which works great in a three man faction. But we have seen his singles matches not get the same reaction from the crowd as when the Shield is doing their business together. And if a big push falls flat, that could be career ending. Just ask Kozlov and Tensai.

Padres4life

I know and the fans see through that too….they see how popular guys like DB and Punk have gotten, and they see how the fans don’t accept a guy like Cena, yet they want to push another BIG GUY in Reigns going against what the fans have fought against this whole time which is change….how is Reigns change? he’s just like Batista in 2005…that’s a redo of the past..that’s not change.

John

Of course Roman Reigns is a distant third to the other members of The Shield, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose are seasoned veterans. They are two of the most talented guys on the WWE roster, but ultimately it’s Roman Reigns who looks like the star of the group, and that is more important than in-ring ability to WWE.

Take the Wyatt Family for example.. Brodie Lee (Luke Harper) is way more talented than Bray Wyatt is in terms of in-ring ability, but it’s Bray Wyatt who stands out as the star of the group.

BIG M

Well Bray does has amazing Mic skills Harper as far as I’ve seen can’t deliver a good promo.
Ive always said if you can hold an audience in the palm of your hand with your work in the ring e.g. Seth Rollins or to a greater extent Daniel Bryan thats great.
If you can hold an audience in the the palm of your hand just by speaking (which is a lot harder) e.g. Bray Wyatt or to a greater extent The Rock even better.
Now if you can do both (Even harder still) e.g. Dean Ambrose or to a greater extent CM Punk your going to be a Worker people WILL remember.

K!NG

ryback wasnt ready either but ready or not your push is gonna come and if you dont take advantage of it then you wont have one very long.

BIG M

While Ryback’s work wasn’t quite there yet I think the biggest reason his push flopped was his very large and very unjustified ego.
Which no surprise the Higher ups in WWE didn’t take to kindly too.
But what was surprising was that fans picked up on it and took it even less kindly.

K!NG

the fans picked up on it because a writer did not like rybacks push and im pretty sure it was like everyday last year he had a piece on ryback. not going to name names or anything (;

Rachel Miller

Well, there is Global Force Wrestling that will be debuting in the very near future. Your thoughts?

Bob’s Diner

They have a logo and a man in charge, that’s it. Oh and pictures of Karen Angle trying to look ‘sexy’ if that’s your thing…

At this stage, even a backyard show is more of a wrestling organisation

Bob’s Diner

While the workers maybe ‘misused’ they are still being paid handsomely to do something they love doing. I can understand why they would stay put.

John

The thing that worries me about The Shield eventually splitting is the change that will inevitably happen. One of the things that makes The Shield so awesome is that everything about them is great, from their combat ring attire, their entrance through the crowd, the overall chemistry between the group, etc.. However when they split they all have to get new ring gear, new music, normal ring entrances… I just hope they stand out as much when they are seperated. Hopefully they aren’t giving generic gimmicks.

Cubed56

I agree with you, unfortunately it looks like Reigns is gonna be molded after Batista of 05/06 and John Cena, so the fans will turn on him. Rollins looks like he could be a Punk type with Rey Mysterio like move set, possibly better, but may only reach the upper mid card with an occasional main event feud. Ambrose I think will be a Brian Pillman/Jake Roberts type, which I think will serve him the best out of the three as he will be able to go both face and heel the easiest. Imagine if Ambrose plays the loose cannon gimmick and eventually him an Bray Wyatt get together to form an evil alliance somewhere down the road far after the family and shield split. It would be like HHH’s and SCSA’s two man power trip only more evil and sadistic. Anyways this is just my opinion of what’s gonna happen to the shield members. Either way I hope they all have success in whatever gimmicks they are giving.

Bob’s Diner

I also need to say in regards to the network, there are a lot of costs associated with the bandwidth required, digitzing the content and they have TV deals in place in these other countries that will be affected by the arrival of the network. It isn’t as simple as people think

Eddie-Boy

I don’t mean to sound like I’m playing “Devil’s Advocate,” but if and should Daniel Bryan relinquish the W.W.E. World Heavyweight Championship this Sunday night at Payback, Triple-H and Stephanie should consider crowning Brock Lesnar as the new champion (at least temporarily) until the “American Dragon” returns to the company healthy and at full strength. As Lesnar’s longtime friend and adviser, Paul Heyman, would convince the “King of Kings” and the “Billion-Dollar Princess” in a mathematical promo, “Brock Lesnar plus W.W.E. World Heavyweight Championship equals ‘What’s Best for Business.'” We’ll see what happens this Sunday night in Chicago.

Then again, a certain “Straight Edge Superstar” might make a surprise cameo appearance and turn the tables on The Authority, setting the stage for what could be one of the year’s most exciting and controversial feuds the W.W.E. fans have not seen in quite some time. You just never know what might happen next in the W.W.E., my friends. You just never know ….. 😉